


Business Card Bookmarks

by BarPurple



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, F/M, First Meeting, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 16:17:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10970856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: A delayed train, a lost book and a scarf.





	Business Card Bookmarks

The man opposite her pulled a pair of knitting needles and chunky blue yarn from a weathered satchel. He’d been looking jittery since the train ground to a halt fifteen minutes ago, but the instant the wool was in his hands the tension eased from him. The hard frown lines between his eyes softened into ones of gentle concentration. There was almost a smile playing at the corner of his mouth as he broke the paper band around the wool and found the loose end.

Belle unconsciously mirrored his smile and pulled her eyes back to the book on her lap. Nobody was happy that the train was stuck here due to a “technical difficulties” but she’d been concerned at the panicked look on his face when the announcement was made. For a brief second she’d thought he’d be one of those who would kick up a fuss, the cut of his suit suggested high powered business man, and several others further down the carriage had raised a stink at the poor conductor. It had been the way he fumbled a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped his brow that made her rethink. She suspected a touch of claustrophobia, and had been trying to work out a subtle way of reassuring him when he pulled the yarn from his bag. She glanced up again and broke into a wide smile. The yarn was on the needles now and his lips were moving silently. Belle had seen a similar sight as a child when her Granny was counting stitches. She wondered if he would start counting out loud if someone tried to talk to him. Granny had done that and Belle had learnt from an early age that it was a signal to hold fire on whatever question she had. Losing count was a nightmare for a knitter and to be avoided at all costs, even if that meant testing the patience of a six year old girl who had an important and interesting book to talk about.

“Are you all right, miss?”

The softly spoken question startled her out of her memories.

“I’m fine. Sorry was I staring?”

The knitting man smiled and nodded; “In my direction, but not at me I think.”

“No, I was remembering my Granny counting out loud when she was working a pattern line.”

The man laughed, and for the first time since this gruelling journey had begun he looked genuinely happy.

“Aye, I think we all do that. We knitters can get quite snappy if people don’t understand what it means.”

A faint clicking sound reached her ears, he was still knitting! His eyes were meeting hers as he spoke, but his long fingers were making the yarn dance around the needles. 

“What are you making?”

“A scarf. Easiest thing to do one the move,” he frowned out of the window at the stationary scenery, “Or not in this case.”

She knew she should leave him to it, but there was something hopeful in his eyes as he looked away from the window. She got the impression that he’d like to keep talking, but wasn’t sure how to go about keeping the conversation moving. It was a difficulty she knew well; she wasn’t that great at small talk, she gave him an encouraging smile as she cast around for a topic, asking about his destination seemed cruel considering they were currently stuck. He tentatively nodded at the book in her hands and asked; “What are you reading?”

He’d landed the one topic that she could always talk about easily. She held up her book so he could read the cover.

“Ah American Gods. I prefer that one to Anansi Boys.”

She was delighted that he had read the book and knew of the sequel. They chatted happily about Gaiman’s imagery and characters, touching briefly on the new television show based on the book, the scarf growing longer with each moment that past. When the train suddenly lurched into motion once more the ball of wool bounced off his lap and rolled towards Belle. She put her book down on the seat beside her and bent forward to retrieve it just as he did the same. Their heads meet with a light thump.

“Oh I am so sorry!”

He sounded genuinely panicked even as he was rubbing his own forehead.

“It’s fine, only a little bump.”

He took his ball of wool from her hand with a shy smile of thanks. The train slowed again, but this time it was for a scheduled stop, Belle’s stop in fact.

“This is me.”

The driver appeared intent on making up for the time lost by the delay, Belle had to hurry and only just made it onto the platform before the doors closed and the train began to move off. The knitting man waved at her and she waved back. It wasn’t until she reached the street that she noticed her book was missing. She swore under her breath, she’d have to call lost property later. 

She didn’t have chance to make the call that day, and once she got to work the next morning she found that there was no need to. Her lost book had been returned to the library she worked at, with a familiar soft, blue scarf and a charming note.

“I discovered your book after you had disembarked. Your business card was tucked inside. Please accept the scarf as a thank you for your delightful conversation during a stressful train journey.”

Belle wrapped the scarf around her neck and hugged her book to her chest. It was then she noticed a second business card tucked alongside the one she had used as a bookmark. 

“R Gold, Antiques.”

She smiled to herself; she had a thank you note to write.


End file.
